


Thoughts Away From Home

by reyshine95



Category: Captain America, Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Natasha/Steve Friendship, Secret Boyfriend, Unrevealed relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-13 23:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7143668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyshine95/pseuds/reyshine95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snapshot of Steve and Natasha away on a mission while Bucky is back home in DC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thoughts Away From Home

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I wrote based off a roleplay on tumblr.

The one thing Steve Rogers knew, is that you didn't lie to Natasha Romanoff. Perhaps it is because he simply knew better, by then Natasha had already figured him out to be a poor liar. However as they sat bunkered in the snowy facility on the outskirts of the HYDRA base she was looking at him like he had a secret she already knew. “So, Sam says you got a dog,” She mused lightly. They were stranded together for the time being and as they were waiting for an extraction team, and Natasha seemed to think that filling their time with idle chat was the best way to go. Steve gave her an exhausted smile nodding his head for turning his gaze away from her and out of the cave. “Yeah, golden retriever. She's only a few months old,” He answered carefully.

She seemed to take that answer in stride before rolling her shoulders back into the rocky wall. “What's her name?” Her voice was soft clearly mirroring his own tiredness. “Liberty,” Steve answered with a smile. The corner of Natasha smiled turned up, and she smirked before letting out a small laugh, “Of course you would name a dog that.” Steve seemed to think that the conversation had ended by then, and as the wind whipped around the iron doors he thought for a moment about how much he missed his little girl. Liberty was so small when Bucky got her, and now that he was thousands of miles away he hoped she hadn't gotten too big. 

More than likely Bucky had spent his time doting on the dog, teaching her tricks and buying a bank accounts worth of treats and toys. Steve didn't care, as long as there was something to make Bucky happy while he was away on missions it made him feel a hell of a lot better. This trip however had lasted a bit longer than he had expected. After an initial five day scope they had discovered a secret group of HYDRA scientists working on another Winter Soldier project. Steve couldn't allow something like that to even be thought of, so logically it was easy for him to forgo his better judgement and extend the stay. 

Somehow he had Natasha by his side, the one person who didn't question his crazy attributes or choices when it came to righting past wrongs. It was a personal mission once that came into play, and thus added nine more days to their mission and quite a few wounds. Steve's arm was injured along with several bruised ribs, luckily it was a through and through with a bullet that hit the super soldier. Natasha was luckier than he was, only a few cuts and bruises to add to her list of battle wounds. How that had worked out, Steve would never admit to anyone. 

Yet as they sat in silence he seemed to think about what he would do when he got home. The idea of Buck sitting there waiting on him tugged at his heart strings. He wanted to see back spring back, he wanted to see the man living independently of him, and being happy on his own. Of course Steve wanted to be with him, he wanted to share those challenges with him, but Steve wanted Bucky to heal too. He couldn't depend on Steve forever, and he understood that. His brow furrowed in his thought as he let out a small sigh. Apparently his thinking was far too loud for the other, Natasha after a long bout of silence speaking up again, “So who is she?” Her attempt while understandably Natasha-like while missing the mark slightly. 

The blue gaze shifted before falling on the red head, secrets always seemed to slip between the two even when he didn't mean for them. Steve didn't answer for a long moment, merely staring before giving into her whims. He didn't have to say WHO it was, and with the unlikely success of finding Bucky between the three of them (As Bucky had came to HIM in the end), she didn't know he was around Steve. “Not a girl,” Steve coyly remarked, Natasha's expression turning that of a satisfaction before moving off the wall to sit directly straight up. “Name?” She prompted lightly with a smile. “Confidential,” He answered without hesitation. His own soft smile touching his lips before he shrugged off his darker thoughts.   
“Are you happy?” She asked softly, the care in her voice for once shining through before he relaxed slightly at the idea. Of course he was happy, he had Bucky back. The one person on Earth who made him feel alive again, the one person who SAW Steve Rogers versus the disguise he wore. “Yes, I think I am,” He replied with a small chuckle, his throat dry in the harsh wind but never the less tainted with relief. Steve could be happy again, and slowly but surely Bucky was showing him that. It would take awhile before he came to a please of comfort, and that would come with time as Bucky moved away from hiding. When he could have Bucky here, sitting with him at his six and ready to take on the world. When he would walk through the streets without worry that everyone would find out Buck was with him and take him away. That was when Steve would be happy. 

“Well it's nice to here that Captain Purity is finally taking off his chastity belt,” She teased, her eyes lighting up slightly with challenge before he gave her a sour look. “Well I'd hate to ruin your cheering but it's not like that yet, so thanks,” his voice turning slightly annoyed at the choice of conversation but still seemed lighthearted at the core. Natasha's brow rose, almost mockingly before seemingly dropping the subject. Another silence drifted over them, only once interrupted as incoming transmission reported pick up within the hour. It was a relief to be going home, knowing that the world was safe for one more day, that more information had been gathered on HYDRA and what SHIELD could do to help prevent more uprising. 

“Do you love him,” She asked quietly, her voice nearly unnoticeable against the raging wind outside. Steve parted his lips to give an immediate answer, but it failed to come forth. Natasha seemed to take that as an answer and continued on. “Don't make my mistake, Rogers. Don't push love away. You and I both know the risks when it comes to this job, but if this is what makes you happy. Don't let fear take it away from you.” He considered her words, pausing in his thoughts as if to argue with himself. He told Bucky he loved him before he left, and he meant it. He did love the man, he always had, but Natasha was right too.

Steve had loved Bucky since they were kids, falling in love with him though – that was something that seemed to have caught him by surprise. What they had was difficult, it was complicated, and in some degree it was WRONG. Yet when Steve imagined going home to see Bucky lying there in their room, with their dog, in their home. It made his stomach flutter with warmth. Bucky was slowly taking over every fiber of his existence, and he liked it. “I'm falling in love with him everyday,” He replied softly, his gaze far away in DC where his home really was. Natasha seemed to like this answer more, nodding before giving him a short shrug of her shoulders. “Well there you go, get on that plane and go home, find him, and show him that you love him,” Her words quick and to the point, and all Steve could do is laugh. 

“Natasha Romanoff, trying to help Captain America get laid one day at a time,” He chuckled, looking over to his friend with a genuine appreciation. “Thanks, Nat.” She returned his smile, opening her small satchel of devices to radio the incoming transport to hurry up. Maybe this mission wasn't an absolute failure, and maybe it helped deep down quench a fear within him. Within the hour they were picked up, and Steve was back on the plane heading home. Steve was ready to go home, he was ready to be at home with Bucky.


End file.
